One of the greatest strengths of Linux is the fact that is can be used to enable the smallest embedded devices and scale all the way to literally the most powerful computer on Earth.

1) Fedora 18/19

Despite valiant efforts by Fedora developers to try and get the Fedora 18 release (aka the Spherical Cow) out before the end of 2012, that's just not going to happen.

The Fedora 18 beta has been delayed again, pushing out the final general availability of the Spherical Cow until January of 2013. Fedora 18 Beta release is now set for Nov 27th with a final release set for January 08, 2013.

On a forward looking basis, the Fedora community is now voting on the Cow's successor name for Fedora 19. There are eight possible choices that the Fedora community will vote on:Cubical Calf, Higgs Boson, Loch Ness Monster Martian Blueberries, Newtonian Dynamics, Parabolic Potassium, Schrödinger's Cat and Tiddalik

Voting for the Fedora 19 name ends on November 15th with the winner set to be announced on November 16th.

2) Linux Mint 14

Though it doesn't have as funky a name as the upcoming Fedora 18 release, the Linux Mint 14 release is definitely something that many Linux users are looking forward too.

Now at the RC stage, the Linux Mint 14 release, aka Nadia is now out in both MATE and Cinnamon flavors.

"After 6 months of incremental development, Linux Mint 14 features an impressive list of improvements, increased stability and a refined desktop experience," Linux Mint founder Clem Lefebvre wrote. " We’re very proud of MATE, Cinnamon, MDM and all the components used in this release, and we’re very excited to show you how they all fit together in Linux Mint 14."

3) Linux Supercomputers

Both Fedora and Linux Mint are primarily aimed at modest usage requirements (though modest is difficult to define). Linux can and does scale far beyond its humble community roots to power the most powerful computers in the world.

Not just one or two of them, but nearly ALL of them.

The latest Top 500 Supercomputer list debuted this week and the numbers for Linux are staggering with 469 out of 500 machines on the list are currently powered by Linux.

Sean Michael Kerner is a senior editor at InternetNews.com, the news service of the IT Business Edge Network, the network for technology professionals Follow him on Twitter @TechJournalist.